1 And AJudg 8:31, 35Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother’s 1Lit brothersrelatives, and spoke to them and to the whole clan of the household of his mother’s father, saying, 2 “Speak, now, in the hearing of all the leaders of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you, that AJudg 8:30; 9:5, 18seventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, rule over you, or that one man rule over you?’ Also, remember that I am BGen 29:14your bone and your flesh.” 3 And his mother’s 1Lit brothersrelatives spoke all these words on his behalf in the hearing of all the leaders of Shechem; and 2Lit their hearts inclined afterthey were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is AGen 29:15our 3Lit brotherrelative.” 4 They gave him seventy pieces of silver from the house of AJudg 8:33Baal-berith with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless fellows, and they followed him. 5 Then he went to his father’s house at Ophrah and A2 Kin 11:1, 2killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, BJudg 8:30; 9:2, 18seventy men, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself. 6 All the men of Shechem and all 1Or the house of MilloBeth-millo assembled together, and they went and made Abimelech king, by the 2Or terebinthoak of the pillar which was in Shechem.

7 Now when they told Jotham, he went and stood on the top of ADeut 11:29, 30Mount Gerizim, and lifted his voice and called out. Thus he said to them, “Listen to me, O men of Shechem, that God may listen to you. 8  “Once the trees went forth to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us!’ 9  “But the olive tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my fatness with 1Lit which by mewhich God and men are honored, and go to wave over the trees?’ 10  “Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come, reign over us!’ 11  “But the fig tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my sweetness and my good 1Or producefruit, and go to wave over the trees?’ 12  “Then the trees said to the vine, ‘You come, reign over us!’ 13  “But the vine said to them, ‘Shall I leave my new wine, which cheers God and men, and go to wave over the trees?’ 14  “Finally all the trees said to the bramble, ‘You come, reign over us!’ 15  “The bramble said to the trees, ‘If in 1Or sinceritytruth you are anointing me as king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, may fire come out from the bramble and consume the cedars of Lebanon.’

16 “Now therefore, if you have dealt in 1Or sinceritytruth and integrity in making Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with AJudg 8:35Jerubbaal and his house, and 2Lit if you havehave dealt with him 3Lit according to the dealing of his handsas he deserved— 17 for my father fought for you and 1Lit cast his soul in frontrisked his life and delivered you from the hand of Midian; 18 but you have risen against my father’s house today and have killed AJudg 8:30; 9:2, 5his sons, seventy men, on one stone, and have made Abimelech, BJudg 8:31the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your 1Lit brotherrelative— 19 if then you have dealt in 1Or sinceritytruth and integrity with Jerubbaal and his house this day, rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you. 20  “But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and consume the men of Shechem and 1Or the house of MilloBeth-millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem and from 1Or the house of MilloBeth-millo, and consume Abimelech.” 21 Then Jotham escaped and fled, and went to Beer and remained there because of Abimelech his brother.

22 Now Abimelech ruled over Israel three years. 23 A1 Sam 16:14; Is 19:2, 14Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem BIs 33:1dealt treacherously with Abimelech, 24 ADeut 27:25; Judg 9:56, 57so that the violence 1Lit of the seventydone to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and BNum 35:33their blood might be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers. 25 The men of Shechem set 1Lit liers-in-wait formen in ambush against him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who might pass by them along the road; and it was told to Abimelech.

26 Now Gaal the son of Ebed came with his 1Lit brothersrelatives, and crossed over into Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their trust in him. 27 They went out into the field and gathered the grapes of their vineyards and trod them, and held a 1Lit rejoicingfestival; and they went into the house of AJudg 8:33; 9:46their god, and ate and drank and cursed Abimelech. 28 Then Gaal the son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is Zebul not his 1Lit overseerlieutenant? Serve the men of AGen 34:2Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him? 29  “1Lit And who will give this people into my handA2 Sam 15:4Would, therefore, that this people were under my authority! Then I would remove Abimelech.” And he said to Abimelech, “Increase your army and come out.”

30 When Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger burned. 31 He sent messengers to Abimelech 1Or in Tormahdeceitfully, saying, “Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his 2Lit brothersrelatives have come to Shechem; and behold, they are 3Lit besiegingstirring up the city against you. 32  “Now therefore, arise by night, you and the people who are with you, and lie in wait in the field. 33  “In the morning, as soon as the sun is up, you shall rise early and rush upon the city; and behold, when he and the people who are with him come out against you, you shall A1 Sam 10:7do to them 1Lit as your hand can findwhatever you can.”

34 So Abimelech and all the people who were with him arose by night and lay in wait against Shechem in four 1Lit headscompanies. 35 Now Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance of the city gate; and Abimelech and the people who were with him arose from the ambush. 36 When Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, “1Lit BeholdLook, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains.” But Zebul said to him, “You are seeing the shadow of the mountains as if they were men.” 37 Gaal spoke again and said, “Behold, people are coming down from AEzek 38:12the 1Or centerhighest part of the land, and one 2Lit headcompany comes by the way of 3Heb Elommeonenimthe diviners’ 4Or terebinthoak.” 38 Then Zebul said to him, “Where is your 1Lit mouthboasting now with which you said, ‘Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?’ Is this not the people whom you despised? Go out now and fight with them!” 39 So Gaal went out before the leaders of Shechem and fought with Abimelech. 40 Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him; and many fell wounded up to the entrance of the gate. 41 Then Abimelech remained at Arumah, but Zebul drove out Gaal and his 1Lit brothersrelatives so that they could not remain in Shechem.

42 Now it came about the next day, that the people went out to the field, and it was told to Abimelech. 43 So he took 1Lit thehis people and divided them into three 2Lit headscompanies, and lay in wait in the field; when he looked and 3Lit beholdsaw the people coming out from the city, he arose against them and 4Lit smoteslew them. 44 Then Abimelech and the 1Singular with Gr; Heb plural, headscompany who was with him dashed forward and stood in the entrance of the city gate; the other two 2Lit headscompanies then dashed against all who were in the field and 3Lit smoteslew them. 45 Abimelech fought against the city all that day, and he captured the city and killed the people who were in it; then he A2 Kin 3:25razed the city and sowed it with salt.

46 When all the leaders of the tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered the inner chamber of the 1Lit housetemple of AJudg 8:33El-berith. 47 It was told Abimelech that all the leaders of the tower of Shechem were gathered together. 48 So Abimelech went up to Mount APs 68:14Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him; and Abimelech took 1Lit the axesan axe in his hand and cut down a branch from the trees, and lifted it and laid it on his shoulder. Then he said to the people who were with him, “What you have seen me do, hurry and do 2Lit like melikewise.” 49 All the people also cut down each one his branch and followed Abimelech, and put them on the inner chamber and set the inner chamber on fire over those inside, so that all the men of the tower of Shechem also died, about a thousand men and women.

50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and he camped against Thebez and captured it. 51 But there was a strong tower in the center of the city, and all the men and women with all the leaders of the city fled there and shut themselves in; and they went up on the roof of the tower. 52 So Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it, and approached the entrance of the tower to burn it with fire. 53 But A2 Sam 11:21a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, crushing his skull. 54 Then A1 Sam 31:4he called quickly to the young man, his armor bearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, so that it will not be said of me, ‘A woman slew him.’ ” So 1Lit histhe young man pierced him through, and he died. 55 When the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, each departed to his 1Lit placehome. 56 Thus AGen 9:5, 6; Ps 94:23God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he had done to his father in killing his seventy brothers. 57 Also God returned all the wickedness of the men of Shechem on their heads, and the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal came 1Lit toupon them.